18 THE SEA. 



if they would obey him and trust to his conduct. They accepted his promises, and, stealing- 

 a canoe, went to sea with him. Now the Spaniards having made several of his companions 

 prisoners, kept them close in a dungeon, while Lolonois went about the town and saw what 

 passed. These were often asked, ' What has become of your captain ? ' To whom they con- 

 stantly answered, ' He is dead ; ' which rejoiced the Spaniards, who made bonfires, and, knowing 

 nothing to the contrary, gave thanks to God for their deliverance from such a cruel pirate. 

 Lolonois, having seen these rejoicings for his death, made haste to escape, with the slaves 

 above-mentioned, and came safe to Tortuga, the common refuge of all sorts of wickedness,, 

 and the seminary, as it were, of pirates and thieves. Though now his fortune was low,, 

 yet he got another ship with craft and subtilty, and in it twenty-one men. Being well 

 provided with arms and necessaries, he set forth for Cuba, on the south whereof is a small 

 village called De los Cayos. The inhabitants drive a great trade in tobacco, sugai*, and 

 hides, and all in boats, not being able to use ships, by reason of the little depth of the 

 sea. 



"Lolonois was persuaded he should get here some considerable prey; but by the good 

 fortune of some fishermen who saw him, and the mercy of God, they escaped him ; for- the 

 inhabitants of the town despatched immediately a vessel overland to the Havannah, com- 

 plaining that Lolonois was come to destroy them with two canoes. The governor could 

 scarcely believe this, having received letters from Campechy that he was dead ; but atr their 

 importunity he sent a ship to their relief, with ten guns and ninety men well armed, 

 giving them this express command, e that they should not return into his presence, without 

 having totally destroyed those pirates.'' To this effect he gave them a negro to serve them 

 for a hangman, and orders that they should immediately hang every one of the pirates 

 excepting Lolonois, their captain, whom they should bring alive to the Havannah. This- 

 ship arrived at Cayos, of whose coming the pirates were advertised beforehand, and, instead 

 of flying, went to seek it in the river Estera, where she rode at anchor. The pirates seized 

 some fishermen, and forced them by night to show them the entry of the port, hoping 

 soon to obtain a greater vessel than their two canoes, and thereby to mend their for- 

 tune. They arrived, after two in the morning, very nigh the ship; and the watch on 

 board the ship asking them whence they came, and if they had seen any pirates abroad, 

 they caused one of the prisoners to answer that they had seen no pirates nor anything 

 else; which answer made them believe that the pirates had fled upon hearing of their 

 coming. 



" But they soon found the contrary, for about break of day the pirates assaulted 

 the vessel on both sides with their two canoes with such vigour that though the Spaniards 

 behaved themselves as they ought, and made as good defence as they could, making some 

 use of their great guns, yet they were forced to surrender, being beaten by the pirates, 

 with sword in hand, down under the hatches. From thence Lolonois commanded them 

 to be brought up one by one, and in this order caused their heads to be struck off. Among 

 the rest came up the negro designed to be the pirates' executioner. This fellow implored 

 mercy at his hands very dolefully, 'telling Lolonois he was constituted hangman of 

 that ship, and if he would spare him he would tell him faithfully all that he should desire. 

 Lolonois, making him confess what he thought fit, commanded him to be murdered with the 



